Horizon Forbidden West: had Sony promised the free PS5 upgrade?
Horizon Forbidden West
The announcement that the PS4 to PS5 upgrade of Horizon Forbidden West will only be possible by purchasing certain editions of the game has made many users turn up their noses, especially those who expected to be able to do this for free with the Standard and Digital versions. Adding fuel to the fire was an old interview released by Jim Ryan, the CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, where he apparently promised that the upgrade to the PS5 version would be free. But is it really so? Let's try to take stock of the situation.The "promise" in question, which has been pointed out to us and reported in the comments several times, would have come in an interview with the Washington Post published on September 16, 2020. Hold on in mind this date. On that occasion Ryan actually promised free upgrades to PS5 for some PS4 titles, however without explicitly mentioning Horizon Forbidden West. Ryan's statement is anticipated by an introduction by the author of the article, where he stated that the fact that some PS5 titles like Horizon Forbidden West and Spider-Man: Miles Morales would have a PS4 version could have upset some Sony fans. This introduction is followed by Ryan's speech:
"Nobody should be disappointed. The PS5 versions of those games are built from the ground up to take advantage of the PS5, and we have an upgrade path for PS4 users to get PS5 version for free. "
Horizon Forbidden West As we can see Ryan does not explicitly specify Horizon Forbidden West, which was mentioned only by the author of the article. To all this are added the official details arrived with an article from the PlayStation Blog also published on September 16 (in Italy on September 17) which states:
"We know the PS4 community will be switching to PS5 at different times, and we're excited to announce PS4 versions of some of our exclusives. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Sackboy A Big Adventure and Horizon Forbidden West will also launch on PS4. While these three games have been designed to take advantage of PS5 and its exclusive next-generation features such as ultra-high-speed SSD and DualSense controller, PS4 owners will also be able to enjoy these experiences at launch. The digital versions of the PS4 launch games include a free update on both PS5 consoles, while the disc versions of these PS4 games include a free update on PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-Ray disc drives. "
The article therefore takes up the words of the CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, but specifies that the free upgrade is planned for the "launch games". Which includes Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Sackboy: A Big Adventure but, for obvious reasons, cuts Horizon Forbidden West out of the picture. And if you want to be picky, Ryan's promised "free upgrade path" actually exists, even if it is bizarre and limited only to the purchase of certain editions of the Guerrilla Games title.
Our intention is not to defend Sony's policy regarding PS5 upgrades, mind you. Indeed in the case of Horizon Forbidden West we have already had our say on how this formula could be confusing for the consumer, in addition to the fact that it really does not make sense to pay twice for the same game. However, it seems risky to us to say that Sony has not kept its word, at least with regard to this specific case.
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Horizon Forbidden West preorder: Regalla, Collector's and Special editions available
Horizon Forbidden West preorders for PS5 and PS4 have begun, and fans of the open-world adventure series have quite a few options to choose from. You can preorder Horizon Forbidden West digitally on the PlayStation Store or pick up a physical edition from major retailers or PlayStation Direct. Preorders start at $60 for the PS4 Launch Edition and go up to $260 for the Regalla Edition. A Collector's Edition is also available for $200.
The sequel to 2017's acclaimed PlayStation exclusive Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West will be released on PS5 and PS4 on Feb. 18, 2022. Thanks to backward compatibility, any physical PS4 copies will be playable on PS5 (provided you have the disc drive model), so if you've yet to buy a PS5, you can rest assured your copy will be compatible with that console down the road. However, note that only the Digital Deluxe, Collector's and Regalla editions come with both PS4 and PS5 copies of the game. You won't get the free PS5 performance upgrade with the PS4 Launch or Special editions.
Preorder Horizon Forbidden West, and you'll receive the in-game Nora Legacy Outfit and Nora Legacy Spear. Fun fact: This armor set is based on the one worn by Rost, Aloy's father figure, in Horizon Zero Dawn.
PlayStationThe Launch Edition of Horizon Forbidden West gets you a copy of the base game and the above preorder bonuses. The PS4 version costs $60, while the PS5 edition comes with a next-gen premium at $70. The PS4 version does not come with a free PS5 upgrade.
PlayStationUpgrade to the Horizon Forbidden West Special Edition, and you'll also receive a steelbook case, mini art book and digital soundtrack. The PS4 Special Edition costs $70, while the PS5 version of it costs $80.
PlayStationIf you're not interested in owning a physical copy of Horizon Forbidden West but still want some in-game bonuses, the Digital Deluxe Edition is available to preorder for $80. It comes with the following:
The Horizon Forbidden West Collector's Edition is available to preorder for $200. Here's an overview of everything it includes (in addition to a digital copy of the game for PS4 and PS5):
The fanciest Horizon Forbidden West edition available to preorder is the Regalla Edition, which costs a whopping $260. Here's a list of everything it includes (in addition to a digital copy of the game for PS4 and PS5):
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